Capital Punishment: Alabama takes down Michigan State

The University of Alabama found what it been looking for all season long on Saturday — which was bad, bad news for Michigan State.

By Cecil HurtSports Editor

ORLANDO, Fla. | The University of Alabama found what it been looking for all season long on Saturday — which was bad, bad news for Michigan State.

The Crimson Tide finally put together the 60-minute performance it had been seeking all season and the result was a 49-7 crushing of Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl on Saturday. Alabama dominated both lines of scrimmage from the outset, scored touchdowns on its first five possessions and finished with its most one-sided bowl win since a 61-6 drubbing of Syracuse nearly 60 years ago.

“We were outcoached, we were outplayed and that's just the way it is,” said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.

“Sometimes there's an avalanche that comes upon you.”

Among many school records set by the Crimson Tide, perhaps the most impressive was the fact it held Michigan State — a team who was described by UA defensive coordinator Kirby Smart as “stubbornly committed to the run” — to a minus-42 yards on the ground. In the process, UA knocked two Michigan State quarterbacks out of the game.

“I would say our quarterbacks got hit 15 or 20 times today, easily,” Dantonio said. “If that's happen, it takes effect on you after a while.”

Courtney Upshaw, Alabama's junior linebacker and the game's Most Valuable Player, led the way with five stops, all in the Michigan State backfield.

“Dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides was the real key,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “We wanted to define this team as winners and I think with this season, we did that.

“I think our players really showed the pride they have in the performance today.”

The No. 15 Crimson Tide took the opening kickoff and marched 79 yards in 13 plays, ending with the first of Mark Ingram's two touchdowns, scores that pushed him past Shaun Alexander on UA's all-time rushing touchdown list with 42.

Trent Richardson also had an 8-yard scoring run, Julio Jones scored on a 35-yard run (with a key block from quarterback Greg McElroy) and Marquis Maze took a 37-yard pass from McElroy for a score early in the third quarter. That ended the day for the starters just six minutes after halftime. Reserve tailback Eddie Lacy added two second-half touchdown runs of 12 and 62 yards and actually ended up as the game's leading rusher with 86 yards.

The story of the game was Alabama's up-front domination, although Michigan State scuttled its own scoring chances in the first half to contribute to its swift demise.

Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted by UA's Robert Lester in Crimson Tide territory in the first quarter, stopping a promising opening drive for the Spartans.

In the second quarter, with UA ahead just 14-0, the Spartans drove to the Crimson Tide 2, but were pushed back by a substitution penalty and a sack (by Upshaw) of Cousins that resulted in a backwards-rolling fumble. MSU recovered, but was at the UA 38 and ended up having to punt on fourth-and-goal.

The win re-established Alabama as the all-time winningest team in bowl competition, with 32 victories (not counting the vacated 2006 Cotton Bowl), once again one ahead of Southern California.

“We're not satisfied with where we ended up, you know,” Saban said. “We compete to win the SEC Championship. But I don't know that we had realistic expectations in some regards...and we matured a lot to get better and better.”